


life is a maze, love is a riddle

by Pawprinter



Series: 500 Follower Celebration on Tumblr [5]
Category: Anne with an E (TV)
Genre: Bash Meddles, Bash is Oblivious, Canon Compliant, Christmas, Established Relationship, F/M, Family Fluff, Fluff, Gilbert is in love, Idiots in Love, Post-Canon, literally only rated t because of coarse language oops, or as he would like to say... bash is gilbert's wingman
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-02-23
Updated: 2020-02-23
Packaged: 2021-02-28 05:40:27
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,940
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22858675
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Pawprinter/pseuds/Pawprinter
Summary: When Anne and Gilbert are both set to return home from college at Christmas, Bash decides he has had enough of their oblivious mutual pining. He has a goal: get Gilbert and Anne together before they leave Avonlea again.Only, he doesn't know they're already together.or the one where Bash finds out.
Relationships: Gilbert Blythe & Sebastian "Bash" Lacroix, Gilbert Blythe/Anne Shirley
Series: 500 Follower Celebration on Tumblr [5]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1477454
Comments: 38
Kudos: 352





	life is a maze, love is a riddle

**Author's Note:**

> This has been a fic I have wanted to write since the show ended (*sob*) and I finally hit the point where I'm okay enough with everything to write fanfic again for awae :)
> 
> This is written for my one of my best friends [catastrophic-chloe](https://catastrophic-chloe.tumblr.com) to celebrate my 500 followers on Tumblr :) She asked for "AWAE Shirbert + Bash finding out they're together and loosing it. Just something adorable and fluffy please?" and I was VERY happy to deliver.
> 
> The title of the song is from the song "The Show" by Lenka.

Gilbert had it bad.

‘It,’ also known as an  _ extremely  _ large crush on a certain red-head; a head-over-heels type love; a love that Bash was  _ very _ familiar with from his own life; a love that wound so deep that it became embedded in their bones; a love that seemingly both stole and replenished the breath in their lungs.

While Bash knew these emotions from his wife, Gilbert knew it from his long-time friend.

_ ‘Friend.’ _

What a load of shite.

_ “It’s not like that with Anne,”  _ Gilbert told him, many years ago, in the middle of the ocean,  _ “she’s just a friend.” _

He could see it then, just as he could see it now.

Gilbert could use many words to describe Anne; friend not being one of them.

He should know. He was usually the audience when Gilbert went on  _ (and on and on)  _ about Anne Shirley Cuthbert. Before he met the girl, he knew her  _ exact  _ shade of hair, he knew that she was brilliant, he knew that she had an imagination more vast than the ocean they crossed.

Which was why, when Bash opened his first letter with the return address marked as the University of Toronto, he wasn’t surprised with the contents.

_ Dear Bash, _

_ Toronto is different than Avonlea, that is for certain. I have settled in alright, but it is not home yet. Although, I have doubts that it will ever be home. _

_ I think of everyone from Avonlea often. Leaving the first time was not as hard. When I left after my father died, I was leaving ghosts and broken memories. Now, I leave behind a life that I am proud of; a life that I am happy with. _

_ Instead of an empty house, I left behind you and Del and Ms. Lacroix. When I left that first time, Anne and I were not as close as we are today, and I miss her greatly already. It has been four weeks since I last saw her, yet it feels like a lifetime. _

Bash snorted. Gilbert was always one for the dramatics.

_ Anne. _

_ I write her often, but that does not quench the ache I have for her. _

Bash had to pause and laugh at that. Of  _ course  _ Gilbert would be writing Anne; did he expect any different?

_ She says she is enjoying Queens and is doing well in her studies. I am not surprised. Anne is brilliant and determined and passionate. She would do exceedingly well at anything she sets her mind to.  _

_ That is one thing about Anne; she is- _

“Blythe,” Bash groaned, quickly flipping through the  _ thick  _ letter he received. Several pages later, he noticed that he was  _ still  _ talking about Anne and  _ ‘did you know that her hair looks like crackling embers when the sun is setting?’ _

_ Dear Gilbert,  _ Bash was tempted to reply.  _ I did not know Anne’s hair looks like crackling embers when under the setting sun. How would I? More importantly; how do  _ **_you_ ** _? _

Gilbert was hopeless.

_ Dear Gilbert,  _ Bash was tempted to reply.  _ Just tell her you love her. Please. Save me from this misery. Save us  _ **_all_ ** _ from this misery. _

He didn’t know how much more he could take of this. This back and forth. This  _ running  _ from their feelings. The  _ tension. _

_ No.  _ No more. Bash couldn’t take a single second more of it.

“I need to do something,” he told his mother a few weeks later, the candle light casting shadows across Gilbert’s latest letter. Elijah glanced up from across the room, Delly in his lap shrieking with delight. “Blythe is going to make me lose my mind.”

“Gilbert?” Elijah pressed. “What’d he do wrong?”

Bash rubbed his temples. “Nothing wrong, just… There’s a girl.”

“A girl?”

Bash cast a long look at him. When he first met Elijah, he never would’ve guessed he thrived with gossip, but, then again, he was full of surprises.

“A girl,” Bash confirmed, growing giddy. Maybe it was Gilbert’s gushing that was rubbing off on him, but  _ damn,  _ he felt like he was soaring just by speaking of the two love birds.  _ “Anne.  _ She’s Marilla and Matthew’s daughter.”

Elijah turned to Delphine. “Mmm. Anne? Do you know Anne?” His smile widened at her laugh. “Ask your papa; what’s so bad about this Anne?”

“No,” he cut in quickly. “Nothing’s wrong with Anne. Anne is, well,  _ Anne.  _ She’s fantastic — always has been. She’s, as Gilbert describes her…” He quickly flipped through to the third page of the latest letter from Gilbert. “I quote ‘Anne is a light in a cavern of darkness; glowing warmly like the hearth at home; filling my heart with light and warmth.’”

The other man whistled. “Damn. We have a whole poet on our hands, don’t we?”

“Well, this  _ poet  _ should be sending his poetry to Anne, not me.” Bash set the letter back down and let out a laugh. “I mean, I’m not complaining. If our positions were reversed, I’m sure I would’ve cut down as many trees talking about Mary as Gilbert has talking about Anne. And it does mean a lot that he’s sending all of  _ this  _ to me.” He picked up the thick letter. Elijah’s eyebrows rose with the stack. “I appreciate his trust, but…  _ He needs to make a move on Anne.” _

“What Mr. Blythe does and does not do is none of our concerns,” Hazel chastised. Bash knew her expression  _ very  _ well. She was warning him to remember his place. She had been getting better over the last several months, but it was moments like these that made him remember exactly where they started when she first arrived in Canada.

“It  _ is _ my concern,” Bash pressed. “Gilbert is like a brother to me; of course I care that he’s sending this poetry to me and not the girl he cares so much about.”

It was like he said; he appreciated the trust Gilbert put in him and it meant a lot that he was the first person Gilbert turned to when talking about this stuff.  _ That  _ wasn’t his problem. His problem, if he could even call it that, was the fact Anne  _ wasn’t  _ getting this poetry.

“You know Anne,” Bash said, gesturing at his mother. “Tell me — truthfully — do you honestly think she wouldn’t  _ die  _ if she received a letter from Gilbert gushing about how beautiful she is?” His mother remained silent.  _ Fine by him.  _ “I’ve known that girl for years and I’ve heard her talk about romance more times than I can count on all my fingers.” Bash snorted. “I believe Gilbert once flirted with her by talking about tragical romances — he mentioned that offhandedly to me when asking for my opinions on his, uh…  _ skills.” _

Bash found it hilarious just how oblivious Gilbert was. Did he truly think he was subtle with his feelings towards Anne? He hadn’t been subtle with them, not since the moment they first met, even if he didn’t know the extent of his feelings himself.

Bash couldn’t wrap his mind around the two of them. When he loved Mary, he followed her around like a lost puppy, got drunk, and asked her to marry her while half-asleep in a washing tub. How did they…  _ not  _ do that?

More so, were they truly oblivious to the other ones’ feelings? They were both so in love — they had been for years — yet they hid from their own feelings. Gilbert nearly got engaged to another woman due to his own confusion and lack of clarity. He didn’t know what Anne almost gave up, but he was sure it was similar to Blythe.

They just needed a little push.

Right?

A little push wouldn’t hurt.

“Sebastian,” his mother said, her tone reminding him of a storm brewing beyond the horizon. “I know what you’re thinking.  _ Don’t.” _

He rolled his eyes. “You don’t know what I’m thinking! Besides, it isn’t anything  _ bad,  _ I’m just-”

“Leave those two alone,” she warned him. “Don’t meddle in their business. It’s exactly that;  _ their  _ business!”

“They just need a tiny shove.” He pushed his hands a miniscule amount. She wasn’t any more impressed by that. “They’re almost there, mother, a little encouragement won’t hurt anyone! Gilbert is coming to me anyways; he already wants my advice. I’m not meddling if-”

“No! Absolutely not. We are his guests and-”

He groaned. “We are not  _ guests.  _ We are  _ friends.  _ Family, even. And that means stepping in when needed. He’s absolutely helpless and I’d never forgive myself if I didn’t do  _ something  _ about it all.”

“Do you not agree that his love life is his?”

“Of course I agree!”

“Then stay out of it, Sebastian! Let him come to his decision on his own. If he doesn’t do anything about it then...” She shrugged. “That is none of our business.”

“He is  _ making  _ it my business.” Bash lifted up the heavy letter. Elijah laughed. Bash glared at him. “Have something to say, do you?”

He shook his head and tried to hide his grin. “No, no. Carry on. This is good. Better than any other form of entertainment ‘round here.”

Bash rolled his eyes, but didn’t comment further. He turned back to his mother and blew out a long breath. “I’m not going to do anything that would change the course of history. I’m just… hurrying it along.”

“What do you know about the course of history?” she accused.

.... Okay, granted, she was right.

He didn’t know much about fates and destinies.

_ But,  _ he did have eyes, and those eyes told him that Gilbert Blythe and Anne Shirley Cuthbert were in love.

“Listen. I’ll be doing the world a favour,” he proclaimed. “You haven’t had to live with Blythe for as long as I have.  _ He’s got it bad for her.  _ It’s miserable to be around, honestly. So much… tension. And longing stares. And-” He pulled a face. “It’s torture. Consider this my community contribution; giving those two a  _ tiny little push  _ in the right direction.”

“Sebastian…”

He held up his hands. “Okay, fine. I won’t do anything.” Her shoulders relaxed. He had to fight a grin.  _ “Except-” _

“Sebastian!”

“-I’ll help them along. I won’t push or force. I’ll just give them an opportunity. If they want to take it, that’s up to them.” He held his hands out in surrender. “Can we agree to that? I won’t interfere, but I’ll assist?”

He didn’t care that his mother still didn’t agree.

He had a plan and he was going to follow through with it if it was the last thing he did.

Really, he was doing everyone a favour.

* * *

_ Dear Bash, _

_ Classes are going well. I think I have learned more in the last three months than I have in the last three years. There is always something new, always more work to be done, always more people to see. It is everything I dreamed of and more. _

_ I am thinking of you and Delly. Tell her I love her and miss her. Promise I will see her in a few weeks when I am home for Christmas. I will have at least three weeks off of school, and I hope to spend the majority of that back in Avonlea. _

_ I hope Anne comes back home for Christmas as well. _

(Of course he did.)

_ It would be really nice to see her again. She invited me to visit Queen’s when I have free time, but free time is scarce right now. I think Christmas holidays are the best chance of getting to see her. _

_ I think I took last year, and every year previously spent knowing her, for granted. She was right beside me, yet I held her at an arm’s length away. Now that we are miles apart, I long for her in my arms. It’s a curse. _

_ Although, I am placated by the fact I will see her shortly. _

_ I hope. _

_ I plan to invite her and the Cuthberts for Christmas dinner. I hope that is alright with you. It is, after all, our turn to host Christmas, isn’t it? _

Gilbert’s letter was shorter than the others, continuing on for only one more page. Bash couldn’t decide if that was because he was like he said — busy — or if it was because he cut out the majority of his rambles about Anne since he would be seeing her soon. Maybe it was a little of both.

Regardless, Bash felt giddy by the end of the letter.

Both Anne and Gilbert were coming home for the holidays.

That meant it was time to put his plan into action.

* * *

“Sebastian! What are you doing!?”

Bash barely flinched at his mother’s sharp tone. He grip on the top of the ladder tightened and he peered over the edge.

“I’m decorating,” he said simply. It wasn’t a lie. Not exactly, anyways. So what if he was decorating the doorway with mistletoe; she didn’t need to know the details. “Gilbert and Anne are due home this week and the house is looking a bit dull!”

“I swear, Sebastian, if you’re meddling with those two again, I will-”

“Relax, mother.” He bit his cheek to hide his smug grin. “I’m not meddling with their relationship. Who do you think I am?”

“Sebastian…”

The ladder shook as he laughed. Elijah held it steady. “I told you that  _ I’m  _ not meddling with their relationship. Which is true.” He grinned.  _ “We _ might be though.”

“Sebastian Lacroix, you are going to send me to an early grave!”

He clutched the ladder as he laughed.

“You know, I bet they won’t kiss at all,” Elijah predicted. “If it’s been going on for as long as it has… Why change now?”

“Ah, that is a bet I will take you up on,” Bash said.  _ “I  _ bet that they’ll kiss as soon as they’re under the mistletoe. They’ve been away from each other; they know what they’re missing now.”

Elijah grinned. “What do you wager?”

“You lose, I’ll cook supper every night for the next week. I win,  _ you  _ cook supper every night for the next week.”

Elijah let out a bark of laughter and pounded Bash on his leg. “You got yourself a deal, Lacroix.”

Bash turned his sly gaze towards his speechless mother. “What about you, mother? Care to join in on the bet?”

She shook her head in exasperation, leaving Bash and Elijah howling with laughter.

* * *

Gilbert was the first one home.

Their reunion was a joyous one. Despite the cold, he and Delly travelled to the train station on horseback to welcome him home. As soon as he saw Blythe, Bash was nearly brought to tears. Despite everything that happened, this boy —  _ man  _ — was his family. He was his  _ chosen  _ family. He was proud of Gilbert for going off and accomplishing his dreams, but that didn’t mean he missed him any less.

He was settling back in well. He’d help with chores in the mornings, watch and play with Delly in the afternoons, and sit around the fireplace, sharing stories long into the night.

And, yes, he mentioned Anne  _ very  _ frequently.

As they were preparing supper on his second day back home, he froze mid-chop and fondly gazed at the carrot. His gaze flicked to Bash’s. “Did you know that-”

_ Yes, he knew. _

But he would happily hear the story a hundred more times.

(Maybe he was turning soft.)

“-Anne smacked be across the head with her slate when I called her carrots,” Gilbert said. Bash had to admit; there was a certain fondness the letters lacked. No writing, no matter how fancy the penmanship was, would ever be able to capture the way his eyes lit up or the way his cheeks turned pink or the way his lips twitched to fight a smile when he spoke about Anne.

“It was on her first day at school,” he recalled. “She wouldn’t talk to me. I teased her until she caved.” He rubbed his jaw absentmindedly. 

“I bet you learned your lesson?” Bash teased. 

Gilbert laughed. “Lesson? What lesson?”

“Don’t go teasing people or they’ll punch you in your teeth.”

His smile grew even more fond. “No. I learned that Anne Shirley Cuthbert is passionate and fiery; as fiery as the hair on her head.” His lips twitched. “The beautiful, stunning,  _ gorgeous  _ hair on her head.”

Bash and Elijah locked eyes from across the room.

_ ‘See?’  _ he mouthed.

Elijah lifted his eyebrows in understanding and turned back to his cutting board.

The next time Gilbert mentioned Anne was later that night. He was bouncing Delphine on his knee, enthralled with the sounds she was making. It seemed he missed her as much as she missed him.

“Aren’t you just the  _ cutest,”  _ Gilbert cooed. Delly let out a shrill laugh. “I can’t believe how much you’ve grown! You’re like a little tiny human.”

Bash snorted. “Blythe, I  _ think  _ that’s what babies are.” He grinned. “Don’t you agree? In your  _ professional medical  _ opinion?”

“I’m just saying. She grew so much. And she’s walking now?!” He pressed a quick kiss to her head. “I missed so much! Anne’s not going to believe it.”

Elijah hid his knowing smile behind his cup. Hazel merely pursed her lips. Bash plowed right ahead.

“Ah, right.  _ Anne.” _ Bash fought hard to keep his voice even. “She’s supposed to be back at Green Gables soon, right?”

“Tomorrow around noon,” he replied, not taking his eyes off Delly. Bash could see his expression shift the slightest bit. He looked awed and excited.

_ Ah.  _ So they were in contact frequently enough that she told him when she was supposed to arrive. That was a good sign. He could work with that.

“Excited, are we?” he pressed.

“Sebastian!”

“I’m just stating the mood, mother, no need to get all cross about it.” She glared at him. He sent her a thumbs up when Gilbert wasn’t looking. “I think we’re all excited that Anne’s coming back.”

“I wish Queens and U of T were closer,” Gilbert mused. “It would’ve been nice to go to school by each other.”

Bash was almost giddy with excitement. Gilbert was openly admitting the fact he wanted to see Anne more. He was openly discussing that he wanted Anne to be with him through the school year.

Maybe distance was what he needed to realize how much he loved her. 

Maybe he wasn’t going to be as hopeless as he thought.

“But,” Gilbert continued, “distance just makes the heart grow fonder, I guess.”

Bash nearly puked from excitement.

_ Distance makes the heart grow fonder. _

He was in love.

For sure.

No doubt in his mind.

Gilbert was knowingly in love with Anne!

He wasn’t oblivious anymore!

Oh, this changed everything. 

“I’m excited to see her tomorrow,” he said, continuing to speak when Bash wasn’t. He could barely breathe, never mind form words. “I haven’t seen her in a long time. I miss her. Hell, I even miss our petty spelling bee rivalry.” He grinned to himself. 

Bash managed to shake himself enough to speak again. “So. You said  _ fond  _ earlier, and I am going to assume that means you are-” He toppled off the end of the couch and hit the floor with a solid thump. “Ow!”

He whipped his head around and glared at his mother. She was feigning innocence, but he could still feel the imprints of her toes digging into his hip from where she kicked him off the couch.

“Oops, looks like you fell.” She gave him a pointed stare. “Maybe it’s time for bed.”

Bash glared. “Actually, mother, I’m not-”

Gilbert stifled a yawn. “Good idea, Ms. Lacroix. I’m exhausted.” He set Delly down on the floor and stretched. “Goodnight, everyone.”

Bash schooled his features and turned back to him. “Night, Blythe. Try not to let your excitement keep you up  _ too  _ late.” Gilbert gave him an unimpressed look as he passed. He snickered to himself.

And, yeah, even with the swift poke to his ribs from his mother, it was worth it.

* * *

Bash was giddy with excitement.

The snow falling outside was light and fluffy. Gilbert was awake and anxiously checking the clock. The mistletoe was hung  _ perfectly  _ above the doorway. 

_ It was go time. _

The plan was simple. Gilbert, being the gentleman he was, would  _ predictably  _ open the door for Anne and welcome her in. Later, being the gentleman he was, Gilbert would also walk her to the door when it was time for her to leave. That meant there were two opportunities for both of them to pass under the mistletoe and kiss. And, if Bash just so happened to shout out the fact they stood under said mistletoe, that wasn’t any of his business.

He stood beside Gilbert, trying his best to hide his excitement. They were both working on cutting dough for a dish they were preparing for their Christmas dinner and  _ one _ of them was clearly more distracted than the  _ other _ .

Bash watched as Gilbert anxiously glanced behind the both of them, looking in the direction of the path Anne would be taking to get to the house. He lost track of how many times he had done that in the last hour alone. The poor kid was nervous and excited; both emotions were rolling off him in waves.

Bash grinned to himself and watched Gilbert out of the corner of his eyes. “You’ll hear her knock.”

Gilbert’s head snapped back to the dough on the counter. His hands kneaded at it frantically. “What? What are you talking about?”

“You keep looking for Anne.”

“No. I’m not.”

“You are.”

“You’re wrong.”

“I’m right.” Bash gestured between their two piles of dough. His own was more than twice the size of Gilbert’s. “We both know I’m shite at this. You should be ahead of me.”

“I didn’t realize it was a competition.”

He laughed. “It isn’t. I’m just saying.” He tried to hide his grin. “Someone is distracted.”

“I’m not, I’m just…” Gilbert let out a sigh and glanced towards the back door again. 

Bash snickered. “Right. You’re just more comfortable with your head on backwards. Is that what they’re teaching you in med school, Blythe?”

Gilbert’s glare was one without heat. “Fine, okay? I’m distracted. Happy?”

“Very.” They continued to work in silence. Bash was enjoying this a tad too much, he had to admit. “It’s nice to see you so excited and happy.”

Gilbert couldn’t hide the wide smile that spread across his face. His whole expression shifted to one filled with tenderness. “Yeah, well… It’s been months.”

Bash had to tread very lightly. He didn’t want to scare Gilbert by bringing up his obvious feelings for Anne, especially not so close to when she was supposed to arrive. But he also didn’t want to pretend to be oblivious; shouldn’t he at least prepare Gilbert and encourage him?

_ Damnit.  _ Meddling with their love life was more difficult than expected.

“The last time I saw Anne, it was rushed and filled with panic and…  _ so not…  _ calm.” He was amused with how much he struggled with his words. It wasn’t very often that he got to see Gilbert so tongue-tied. “I had to catch a train, she had to get to school, we were both breaking rules-”

Bash laughed. “You two? Breaking rules? I’ll believe it when I see it.”

Gilbert ignored him. “This will be the first real time after… after  _ everything  _ that we get to see each other. I’m nervous.”

He tried to think of what ‘everything’ meant. He assumed he meant the almost-engagement with Winnie. Did that mean he told Anne about it? Did they write to each other about failed relationships?

That was…  _ good.  _ Surprisingly. It meant that they were frequently discussing romance and their futures with each other. It was a solid foundation on both their ends for something more.

_ If  _ they wanted something more.

(Bash could already guess that answer with confidence.)

“Don’t be nervous,” he advised him. “Just be yourself.”  _ Your oblivious, dorky, somehow endearing self.  _ “It’ll work out.”

Gilbert grinned up at him. “Thanks, Bash. You know, I missed you in Toronto.”

“Oh, did you now? Tell me more?” Gilbert rolled his eyes fondly. “I’m serious. Tell me all about how you missed my brilliant wisdom out in Toronto. I’m dying to know more.”

“I take it back. I didn’t miss you.” They both grinned at each other, knowing his words were in jest. “I’m glad to be home.”

“I’m glad you’re home too.”

“You know, I should-” Gilbert froze. His sentence cut off midway through. His body grew rigid beside him. His eyes were comically wide, locked on the window out the back door.

Well, no, that wasn’t right. His gaze wasn’t locked  _ on _ the window; it was locked on the figure  _ beyond  _ the window. She wore a navy blue coat and a red scarf. Her brilliant red hair stood out prominently against the stark white snow.

Gilbert’s lips parted as his breath left him. His eyes crinkled as a fond and adoring smile lifted his lips.

“Anne.”

With that simple word, the spell was broken. He set down his knife on the counter and took off towards the door. Without stopping to put on a pair of shoes, he threw the door open and dashed out into the snowy day.

Anne saw him burst from the house. Even from inside, Bash could see her expression shift. Her eyes lit up like she was gazing at the stars for the first time. She smiled wider than he ever remembered seeing. And, with a cry, she called out to him. “Gilbert!”

He dashed off the porch and across the yard, his arms outstretched. “Anne!”

Bash hurried to the window. He pushed the curtains aside  _ just in time  _ to see them meet halfway in the yard. They crashed together ungracefully, their movements so hurried and frantic that they were clumsy. Gilbert wrapped his arms around her waist and lifted her, spinning her through the air. Their laughter was filled with so much joy, so much  _ bliss. _

When Gilbert set Anne back on her feet, neither of them stepped out of their shared embrace. Bash watched, his mouth hanging open, as Anne moved forward and captured Gilbert’s lips with her own. Gilbert responded to the kiss enthusiastically, cupping both sides of her face with his hands, cradling her with tenderness. Anne’s arms wrapped around his shoulders, pulling their bodies flush together.

Bash blinked slowly.

Well.

_ That was unexpected. _

The embracing couple was oblivious to the snow falling around them and to the bone chilling temperatures they stood in.

_ Just as they were once oblivious to their feelings towards each other. _

Clearly… that wasn’t the case anymore, if the kissing and excited shrieks were anything to go by.

He took a few steps away from the window, the situation processing slowly in his mind.

_ Gilbert and Anne. _

_ Anne and Gilbert. _

_ They were- _

_ They- _

A wide smile split across his face. He let out a whoop and clapped his hands together, unable to contain his excitement.

_ Thank god!  _ They were together. They got over themselves and finally admitted their feelings! No more painful poetry from Gilbert, no more moments filled with unresolved romantic tension, no more long pining looks from either of them.

He couldn’t contain his joy. Similar to when he thought Gilbert chose Anne over Winnie all those months ago, he couldn’t stop himself from dancing.

_ That was when his mother walked in. _

Her gaze swept between him and the two teenagers in the snow, her eyes calculating. Bash turned to her and pointed.

“It happened! Oh, thank god, I thought we were all going to have to suffer for eternity with those two!”

As Bash continued to dance around the kitchen, she simply moved around him and sunk to the nearest chair. He couldn’t get a read on her expression and he pointed at her again.

“Don’t ruin this for them, mother. I mean it! This has been a long time coming,  _ trust me.” _

She pursed her lips. “I see.” A sly smile lifted her lips. “Ah. I see my son  _ couldn’t  _ see the future after all.”

He froze. “What?”

She pointed to the mistletoe hanging in the doorway. “It looks as though your — what did you call it? — your  _ opportunity  _ wasn’t needed after all, hm?” She grinned. “I told you, Sebastian; you didn’t need to meddle.”

For the second time that day, his mouth dropped open as he processed her words. “You  _ knew!?  _ You knew they were together!?”

“I knew they’d figure it out. I was right.” She glanced out the back door, towards where Gilbert and Anne were dancing around in the snow together. “Do I win?”

Bash blinked and turned his gaze to her.

“What?” 

_ Win what? _

“The bet,” she pressed. “Do I win the bet?”

Bash’s mind raced. The bet? What bet? What was she-

_ Oh. _

Bash burst out laughing. The force of it was so strong that he doubled over and clutched at his sides.

She was talking about the bet he made with Elijah only a few days ago. He bet they wouldn’t kiss at all, Bash bet they’d kiss under the mistletoe. It looked as if his mother wanted in on the action after all.

“You didn’t tell anyone what you were betting beforehand,” he accused. “Your bet doesn’t count.”

“Not true,” she said, her nose lifting.

Bash raised an eyebrow. “Oh, really?”

“Really.” When their gaze locked, her eyes were sparkling with mischief. “I told Delly.”

A pause and-

When Gilbert and Anne made it back into the house, they were met with both Lacroix bent over from laughter and tears streaming down their faces.

**Author's Note:**

> Do I think Gilbert would've written Bash as soon as he and Anne kissed? Yes. But we're gonna ignore that for the plot. BESIDES, there's a possibility he was so shook by the kiss that he just... conveniently forgot to mention to Bash that he kissed Anne. So that's what we're going with here.
> 
> Comments and kudos are appreciated.
> 
> [Find me on Tumblr!](https://pawprinterfanfic.tumblr.com)  
> 


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